Like a growing and significant portion of the U.S. workforce, you may work from home all or part of the time. Consequently, you may have a home office. If that is the case, there are six strategies you will want to consider employing to save money on your home office.

Stock Up During Sales

As is the case with any worksite, whether it be a home office or a one located in a building somewhere else, you need supplies and materials to keep your office up and running. One important way in which you can save money on the operation of your home office to stock up on all manner of supplies when sales occur. Indeed, as part of setting up a home office at home, you should allocate a generous amount of closet space or part of your basement in which you can stow larger purchases of items obtained during sales. You can also make purchases in bulk from big box and membership stores as a means of saving money as well.

Buy Pre-Owned Items

You can also save money on the creation and operation of your home office by purchasing pre-owned or used items of all types. For example, you can conserve a good amount of money if you purchase pre-owned furnishings and even some equipment items for your home office.

Take Advantage of Free Software Programs

Many people who work from home end up spending a considerable amount of money every year on software applications of different types. Some specific types of software may be an absolute must depending on the business you are in. However, there are other types of applications that don’t require such specificity. When it comes to types of software for which you do have flexibility, consider taking advantage of free software programs and offerings when they are available as a means of trimming your overall home office budget.

Keep Your Home Office Organized

Efficiency is important in any work environment. Unlike an office in a building or other “communal” setting, at a home office there is no one else who may be concerned about keeping order in your workspace. With that said, by maintaining a strong sense of order in your home office, you necessarily increase efficiency. By increasing efficiency, you save money and increase your bottom line during the course of a year.

Control Energy Use and Cost

Pay attention to heat and cooling settings associated with your home office. For example, as would be the case in an office outside your home, when your home office is not in use, make sure that you adjust the heating or cooling associated with the space accordingly. Over the course of a year, being conscious of heating and cooling use, and regulating it appropriately, can save you a decent amount of money on the overall operation of your residential workspace.

Use Available Tax Deductions

Finally, you can save money on your home office by being certain to take advantage of all available tax deductions. These include deductions for all business expenses associated with working from home, including the costs associated with stocking up on work supplies as discussed previously.

You also need to take advantage of the tax deduction that may be available for your home office itself. Provided you’ve designated a specific space in your home for your workspace only, you likely will be able to deduct that portion of your rent or mortgage payment associated with the space in your home dedicated to your office.

Taking advantage of most or all of these strategies can prove beneficial. By doing so, you can end up with a significant overall savings on the operation of your home office every year.